Exeter City hope to have one new player through the door before Saturday’s League One trip to Stevenage. But that player may not be the new defender the Grecians desperately seem to need.

With Pierce Sweeney, Johnly Yfeko, and Jack Fitzwater all injured, and having lost Tristan Crama having been recalled, City are short of players at the back and defensively were all over the place in the 6-2 defeat to Leyton Orient on Tuesday night.

“We are working on it, close to some,” Caldwell said, when asked if he was close to making the new signings the side needs, after a sixth defeat in seven. “We want to bring quality and with a physicality which will help the group.

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“We are looking for those players and I am very confident come Monday we will bring players in. We are close to one, and are talking to others. We will be stronger come Monday. I understand the frustration, I’m frustrated but now we have something to spend to improve the group and it is a race against time. We need these players in yesterday and we are working hard to do it and I’m sure we will be better at the end of the window.”

Asked if there would be any in before Saturday’s trip to Stevenage, Caldwell said: “One might be in for Saturday, we are hopeful of more.” Asked if he could say anything about who they might be or where they would play, he added: “The first one in won't be a defender, second one might be.”

City had lined up with a back three of Jack McMillan, who has spent most of the season as a wing-back, Ed Francis, who while was a defender in Manchester City’s academy, has spent most of his senior career in midfield, and Cheick Diabate, making a first league start of the season.

“We asked Cheick, who couldn’t get in Bradford’s team in League Two, to come back,” the manager said. “He has performed admirably but it’s a really difficult test for Cheick who wasn’t playing in League Two to be the key defender in a League One team.”

One defender in the squad who City have who is fit and available is Ben Purrington. But having featured at Peterborough United last Tuesday, in what was a first start in two months, the 28-year-old hasn’t been involved in squads for either of the defeats to Blackpool or Leyton Orient.

“He is not being picked. He needs to do more,” Caldwell said when asked about his absence. “He has to do better than what he has been.

“We’ve told him that and he knows the reasons why and he has to keep working hard and fight to get in the squad that we believe is the best to win the game and of players that buy into what we are asking them.

“Obviously he would sit in the stand and be one of a lot of players at my door tomorrow saying I can do better than the team and I want to be in the team but when you get the opportunity you have to take that.

“I hope a lot of people come to me and say they are ready to play and then you have to show it. Nobody who played tonight can bang on my door and say they should be in the team.”

Asked if anyone is likely to leave before the January Transfer Window closes on Monday night, Caldwell said: “No.” Before adding: “Why, are you expecting anyone?”

On the pitch, Azeem Abdulai struck a hat-trick as Leyton Orient moved into the League One play-off places, while City's cushion over the relegation zone is now just eight points. Orient made a blistering start to the game and were 2-0 up inside seven minutes, with the new signing scoring both of them.

It was 3-0 in the 14th minute when Sean Clare curled a beauty into the top corner from 20 yards. Orient then made it 4-0 after 34 minutes when Dilan Markanday slotted past Exeter's exposed goalkeeper Joe Whitworth.

Half-time substitute Tony Yogane crossed to the back post where Millenic Alli pulled one back for Exeter and the striker then headed in from an Ed Francis corner to make it 4-2 after 56 minutes.

But any hopes of a comeback were dashed by Abdulai, who completed his hat-trick in the 64th minute when he turned in Jack Currie's low cross. And then Jamie Donley made it 6-2 with a deflected strike late on.